Mestinon (pyridostigmine bromide) Side Effects, Uses Dosages
Side Effects for Mestinon (pyridostigmine bromide)
A couple mild brief foot cramps at night. More saliva. I've gained 3.5 lbs in 6 wks. A tad harder to initiate urinary stream, but stronger bladder once stream starts. Occasionally little patches of itchy skin which may or may not be related.
Iife changing really. More energy, heat tolerance, less gastroparesis & constipation. Increased emotional reserve is mind boggling. Too much fight & flight & not enough rest and digest nervous system left me experiencing a "bad" thing as a "tragedy." Such a relief to feel more like I did years ago. Physically & emotionally I cope better on mestinon. I see there is research to support this
Stomach aches if on a empty stomach.
As long as I take 1/2 tablets (30mg) no more than 6xs per day (Total 180mg) as needed I have very few side effects. Its interesting that most side effects that I see reported on here are actually many of my MG symptoms that Mestinon actual gets rid of vs causes. I must be super lucky...
Works best on my breathing, diplopia and swallowing. No more hacking mucous and clearing my throat upon laying down at night with 30mg prior to bedtime. Leg & arm weakness still occurs, but less. My fatigue is unpredictable vs constant.
Orthostatic Intolerance/Hypotension
Gut pain, nausea, muscle cramps all occurred first few weeks then became manageable.Major weight gain and fluid retention. Slowed urination and caused constipation. Headaches and tiredness.
Mestinon helps my symptoms but I gained weight very fast over my whole body but very heavily in legs. I'm eating well and exercising everyday but still can't lose weight. Very depressed. Mestinon works for my symptoms but it is destroying my body and self esteem.It changed my toileting. I'm very bloated and just want my body back.Doctor has suggested midodrine not sure if it will be any better. Caught between a rock and a hard place. The drug works but the dude effects are causing me major depression and I'm very unhappy.Dr says Mestinon doesn't cause weight gain but I absolutely disagree with him.Not sure what to do. Feeling very down and lost.
Very fast Weight and fluid gain, severe colic and nausea. I have literally gained kilos!! It began in my stomach and legs and is also very much fluid. I eat well, exercise every day. Walk 4kms daily so this weight gain is drug related. Only other drug I'm taking is Motillium for nausea and paracetamol.
It helps my OH but my muscles waste just the same I don't have MG, only OH and EDS.The weight gain has made me very very depressed. I don't even want to leave my home.I think I will be coming off or though nervous about that as I think my symptoms may come back :((((Feel trapped by this illness!!
Leg, foot and hand cramps. Diarrhea. Urinary urgency and frequency.
This is a delicate balancing act. Must use discipline to correctly titrate dosage. Too much causes side effects to be worse. Too little causes lack of effective control over MG weakness. The proper dose is very often a function of how your MG symptoms present on any given day. So it can be an exercise in reading your body well or a guessing game. Need to get very good at evaluating your status.
stomach ache and heavy breathing, face flushes at first (60MG)Then now reduced to half a tablet, not many side effects just still a tiny bit of heavy breathing at times.
Not sure if it is working as I still have muscle weakness and wasting, arms and legs are weaker but I don't know if that's the medication or just my symptoms. Neurologist suspects MG but test have all come back negative so far. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I have symptoms for the disease but tests are not showing anything so it's very strange
Constipation: I usually manage this by eating fruits and vegs regularlyDry skin: when I increase my dose to manage "extra effort" days. I use creams.Slight muscle twitching: not major
I've just been diagnosed with MG a month ago and Mestinon has made a huge difference in my life. I am still struggling to figure out the right dose for me given my lifestyle and level of activity. I take 3x60 and 1xTR every day and I am still struggling with overdosing/underdosing and controlling my most prominent symptoms (swallowing, eye, nec)
Some runny nose, occasionally watery eyes. Occasional upset stomach. Mestinon seems to stop working or works minimally when combined with cannabis.
This medication was and still is life changing for me. I have been so disabled and Mestinon has made it so I’m able to move my arms and legs again. I can breathe so much easier. And my right eye no longer droops.
Muscle twitching, diarrhea, increased sweating, increased saliva
Mestinon causes stomach pain if I take it on an empty stomach. It also makes me weaker if I take too much of it. Sometimes I am not sure if the weakness I have is from my MG or taking too much Mestinon.
Charley horses in thigh and calves 3 days then severe pain legs arms for over a year and still have
I was diagnosed with mg 6 years ago. My eyes where almost to the point of always being closed. My muscles all weak and would give out. Started on mestinon, ivig and later immuran. I felt better but the side effects where horrible. Stomach cramps so bad I can’t even walk. Diarrhea so bad that I don’t dare get more than ten feet from a bathroom and vomiting at the same time. This lasts all day. I have tried everything including eating when I take it. Doesn’t help infact makes it far worse, doesn’t matter what I eat. Went off both immuran and mestinon. Just continued with the ivig, which helps immensely but not as much as mestinon. With mestinon my eyes where starting to become normal and muscle weakness and fatigue where also better. However with the side effects I am between a rock and a hard place. With mestinon I feel better and symptoms are better but the side effects make my life awful. Not able to go anywhere or do anything as well as cold and hot sweats. Without my eyes are far worse double vision all the time. Muscle weakness, losing use of legs and so on and fatigue. Eyelids almost closed making seeing hard. I don’t quite know what to do as neither is an option. Both make life unbearable
I have taken 720 mg per day at first plus 150 mg of imuran and it took 36 mouths before the imuran started to work properly. At high dosages 60 mg @ 5 plus a day diarreha plus bleeding as dosage increased.
I have worked myself down to 60 mg x 2 now but i have had problems with Erectile Dysfunction for 10 yrs and high blood pressure. After about 12 months i was able to return to work but stress ended that in 5 months. I adjust my dosage myself and i am going to try to stop the Mestinon completely and just rely on the imuran. It dose mess with urination, more spiting, nasal draining.
abdominal cramps, face muscle twitching, diarrhea, gas, frequent urination
This was the last resort medicine for my condition (off-label use), so thank goodness it worked, but the side effects are sometimes really annoying. I've gained weight on it because I found that the best fix for the cramping and twitching is to eat, and carbs/protein work better than fruit or veggies. Luckily I take the ER version, so the worst of the side effects happen once a day, and as long as I catch it in time with a snack, it's ok. The frequent bathroom breaks have become a problem, but it's usually manageable. Wearing "light days" panty liners helps in case of accidents. Sometimes I sigh for the old days when I didn't check for a bathroom everywhere I go...
I'm on so many meds I could not tell which is creating side effects
I am currently working on weaning off this medication, and finding that I am getting headaches everyday and can't seem to find out if that is normal?
Some muscle cramps (feet and toes) and occasional diarrhea (if taken on empty stomach).
Love this medicine in both generic tablets and Timespan caplets! (Taken in addition to IVIG, prednisone, and imuran) Could not function without it!
Some muscle cramps (feet and toes) and occasional diarrhea (if taken on empty stomach).
Love this medicine in both generic tablets and Timespan caplets! (Taken in addition to IVIG, prednisone, and imuran) Could not function without it!
First month...terrible stomach problemsm, slurred speech, twitching muscles BUT it helped my drooping lids and weak legs for abou 2 hours after each dose. I take 60mg 3xs daily.It is just siniliar to pain meds, once it wears off, symptoms come right back.
take your medication(s) on routine schedule everyday helps wonders to your system.When I was diagnosed and started on Mestinon I was having stomach cramps, loose stool every 30 minutes, had to go pee SOO BAD I was like a kid running to the potty but turns out only a little bit, even cr*pping or peeing my pants, bad nausea to the point where I had to lay down...Now that it's "in my system" and I take it in a routine schedule i only get diarrhea if it's from (no food in stomach, stressed out, too hot/cold, had a sezuire {I'm epileptic}, or walked (been on feet) too much or all day.I take protein or dairy based products to help night time cramps or help with the Time Release Mestinon.
Good luck to all snowflakes out there reading this😄😇 !!
increased muscle twitches in legs and arms, increased tear production
I have no problem with the side effects. Vision is improving and muscle weakness is nearly gone when I'm taking it. Only been 3 days.
MESTINON (PYRIDOSTIGMINE BROMIDE): Pyridostigmine is used to improve muscle strength in patients with a certain muscle disease (myasthenia gravis). It works by preventing the breakdown of a certain natural substance (acetylcholine) in your body. Acetylcholine is needed for normal muscle function. (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)
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